St Albans

St Albans' population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. At the same time there were changes in family life, religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 140,000

In the 10 years leading up to 2011, the population of St Albans increased by 9.0%, from just over 129,000 to 141,000.

The addition of just under 12,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, St Albans was home to, on average, 6.2 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older St Albans

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of St Albans increased by one year, from 38 to 39 years.

This affluent suburban area had a slightly lower average age than Eastof England and had a similar age to the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 3,900 people between the ages of 40 and 49 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 1,000.

About 16% of people in St Albans are aged between 40 and 49 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in St Albans

The percentage of St Albans residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.1% to 2.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 7.4%, while the percentage of St Albans residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 91% to 90%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Families in St Albans

St Albans saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of households without children.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) households in St Albans had no children, compared with 61% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child increased from 31% to 33%.

Across the region, Thurrock saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households without children (from 57% in 2001 to 54% in 2011).

The proportion of households without children was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in St Albans

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in work hours

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 1.9% to 2.9%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of St Albans residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.8% to 1.0% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, 1.6% of reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.3% in 2001.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in St Albans remained close to 1.0%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in St Albans

The number of people in St Albans that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 23,000 in 2001 to just over 36,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 17% to 26% of the local population.

The percentage increased by less than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in St Albans that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 92,000 in 2001 to just under 84,000 in 2011 (from 71% to 60%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just under 8,500 to about 10,000 (from 6.6% to 7.4%).

Just under 5,200 people (2.6%) said they were Muslim, up from about 3,400 in 2001 (3.7%).

The population without a religion in St Albans increased by 8.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in St Albans, but at a slower rate than in Welwyn Hatfield (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with St Albans).

In St Albans, the proportion of private renting increased from 8.6% in 2001 to 14% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Welwyn Hatfield increased from 6.6% to 14%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in St Albans fell from 13% to 12%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 77% to 73%.

Private renting in St Albans increased by 5 percentage points

Percentage of households in St Albans, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of St Albans residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 5.9% to 3.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 9 in 10 (87%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 75% in 2001. The percentage of St Albans residents that described their health as fair decreased from 19% to 9.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in St Albans decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in St Albans, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of St Albans residents that were unemployed increased from 1.7% to 2.7% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (57%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 58% in 2001. The percentage of St Albans residents that were self-employed increased from 10% to 13%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in St Albans increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in St Albans, Eastof England and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in St Albans, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.5% to 9.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage that had only one person remained close to 27%, while the percentage of households in St Albans which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 42% to 41%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.8% in 2001 to 10% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.3% to 9.9%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had an unmarried couple across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in St Albans

The number of people in St Albans from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from about 1,300 in 2001 to just under 2,400 in 2011. This represents a change from 1.0% to 1.7% of the local population.

The percentage increased at a similar rate to the average across Eastof England (from 0.9% to 2.1%) and the average across England (from 2.4% to 3.6%).

The number of people in St Albans from the White ethnic groups remained close to 120,000 between the last two censuses (from 93% to 88% of the population). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 4,900 to about 9,000 (from 3.8% to 6.4%).

Just over 3,900 people (1.6%) said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), up from just over 2,000 in 2001 (2.8%).

The population from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups in St Albans remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and St Albans by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

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